Punjab appoints new DGP amid row over PM Narendra Modi's security breach

Chandigarh: Amid a bitter political blame game over the alleged breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security, the Punjab government has appointed senior IPS officer Viresh Kumar Bhawra as the Director-General of Police.

The Charanjit Singh Channi-led government selected the 1987 batch IPS officer out of a panel of three officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission. The other two officers in the panel were senior IPS officers Dinkar Gupta and Prabodh Kumar.

Bhawra's term shall be for a minimum period of two years from the date of assumption of office, said the order. At present, Siddharth Chattopadhyaya was the officiating DGP of the state.

The order came just hours before the announcement of the dates for assembly elections in five states, including Punjab. After assuming charge, the newly appointed DGP said that the Punjab Police will ensure smooth conduct of the state assembly polls around the corner.

He said police will also ensure that the elections are conducted in an inducement-free manner. Apart from ensuring smooth elections, Bhawra said his focus will be on eradicating drug menace and terrorism from the state. He added that people-centric policing and public service delivery are among his top priorities.

The DGP said the Punjab Police will make optimum use of technology for carrying out investigations of crimes. Bhawra, who is a recipient of the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, has served in the states of Punjab and Assam, besides serving in the Intelligence Bureau and for the Government of India in different capacities.

Bhawra, who was DGP Punjab Home Guards, replaced officiating DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya. With this, Punjab got its third DGP in a span of three months.

Chattopadhyaya, along with 13 other police and civil officers, appeared on Friday at Ferozepur before a three-member panel formed by the Union Home Ministry to inquire into the "serious lapses" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security during his Ferozepur tour.

A few days back, the UPSC had sent a panel of three IPS officers, Dinkar Gupta, V K Bhawra and Prabodh Kumar, for appointment to the post of director-general of police of Punjab.

According to the Supreme Court guidelines, out of the three shortlisted IPS officers by the UPSC, the state government was to finalise the name of one officer as the DGP. The Punjab government had sent a list of 10 IPS officers, including Chattopadhyaya, for shortlisting the panel of three officers.

According to the SC guidelines, only an officer who has left six months of service can be considered for the post of DGP. The UPSC had taken October 5, 2021 as the cut-off date for the selection of the DGP and since Chattopadhyaya was due to retire on March 31, 2022, his name did not find place in the panel.

After Channi took over as the new chief minister in September last year, the 1988-batch IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota was appointed as the officiating DGP replacing Dinkar Gupta who was the state police head when Amarinder Singh was the chief minister. But Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was against the appointment of Sahota.

Later, after facing pressure mounted by the former cricketer, the state government appointed 1986-batch IPS officer Siddharth Chattopadhyaya as officiating DGP until a regular DGP was appointed out of a panel of three IPS officers shortlisted by the UPSC.